This clinical data is now one step closer to reality as the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) approved a study proposal to use CRISPR/Cas9 technology to improve cancer cell therapies. While it still needs FDA approval, this is a big step forward.

CRISPR-Cas9 will be used to insert a gene to better detect cancer cells and will suppress a gene expressing biomarkers on T-cells that are blocked by cancer cells.

This first trial will focus on safety. It’s not the first time that gene editing has been used in trials of cell therapies (with zinc-finger nucleases and TALENS), but CRISPR has some special safety concerns of its own – such as the possibility of off-target edition.

With this approval, the research team expects the trial could begin as soon as the end of 2016. Undoubtedly something to keep an eye on…

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